Quick guide: Government-sponsored "Cheap PC" Programs

A list of national programs aimed at promoting broad access to inexpensive computing technologies

Some of the prominent 'low cost computing devices' and global/regional initiatives to promote the development of low-cost computing devices are linked with government-sponsored or -directed 'low-cost computing' initiatives, which exist in many developing countries.

Notable examples of such initiatives include:

Programa miPC (Argentina) (program web site)
PC Conectado & Computador Para Todos (Brazil)
Gyanotkarsh, Gyanjyoti (India)
PC Gemilang (Malaysia)
the Computers for All Nigerians Initiative (CANi) (program web site)
People’s PC Program (Philippines)
the Saudi Arabian Home Computing Initiative (SAHCI)
People’s PC project (Thailand)
Thanh Giong (Vietnam)

Some of these national programs are linked to Intel's 'Government Assisted PC Programs' (GAPP):

In September 2004 IDC published a market research report assessing Low-Cost PC Programs Spread in Asia.

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative is reportedly currently in discussions with several countries to support large scale roll-outs of the '$100 laptop', including Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Libya, Nigeria, and Thailand. UNDP has expressed its official support for the initiative globally; the Inter-american Development Bank has also signed an agreement with OLPC.

Microsoft's 'Flex-Go' program aims to assist with the financing of PC purchases, using 'pay-as-you-go' model similar to that of pre-paid cellular models. This program is supported by the IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank. The first target country is Brazil.

Suggested citation:
Trucano, Michael. 2006. Quick guide to government-sponsored "Cheap PC" Programs. An infoDev briefing sheet. Washington, DC: infoDev / World Bank.

By M. Trucano.

Learn more: Education

Activity file: Low cost user Devices for the Poor

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